Arts

Any examination into heavy metal in Asheville — one of the city’s least-heralded music subcultures — runs into the inevitable gray area of what metal music is. “It branches and refracts with various niche-metal scenes, some punk/hard-core vectored, some not,” says Eron Rex, publisher of ThrAsheville Zine, which documents the local music scene. “They all sound […]

Watercolors, colored pencil, collage and ink converge in the surreal artwork of Karen Noel, who says she feels “captivated by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the colors of the seasons” and challenged to “capture the magical spirit of the environment” rather than its exact likeness on canvas. Lauren Loercher is also inspired by her Appalachian […]

“Full glam costume with makeup, glitter and stacked heels only add to the aura [of the Wham Bam Bowie Band’s live set,] transporting the audience back to the heady days of early 1970s glam rock,” reads a press release. After several months away from stages, the quintet is eager to resume its mission of presenting […]

“This time around, it’s like the pitcher who gets a second chance,” says singer-songwriter Kenny Roby. And although baseball metaphors sprinkle his speech, the musician is talking about the comeback of his roots-rock outfit, 6 String Drag. That reunited group shares the bill with Holy Ghost Tent Revival at The Grey Eagle on Saturday, April […]

On a summer evening in 1952, a handful of people at Black Mountain College forever changed the course of modern art with a single performance — the world’s first happening. The one-night-only, interactive event featured a random blend of simultaneous music, dance, visual art and spoken word, creating a legacy that’s left few, if any, […]

“On the cusp of his 30th birthday, Roy is contacted by a teenage girl from California claiming to be his lost brother’s biological daughter,” reads the book description of The Other Joseph by Louisiana native Skip Horack. “Yearning for connection and the prospect of family, Roy embarks on a journey across America, visiting childhood haunts […]

The Sun Cans stopped by the Asheville Area Arts Council for the latest Acoustic Asheville videos. They’ll be at The Orange Peel on Friday, April 3, as well as at One Stop on Saturday, April 11. “Wildflower” “Everyday She’s Waiting”

Once upon a time, before the fast-paced world of entertainment we’re accustomed to, there was Noël Coward. His plays were the height of upper crust British humor, depicting high society and often sinking to the lowest depths of humanity (thereby mocking the stereotype). Coward’s style and wit became the forbear of early cinema and the […]

2015 marks the fourth year of River Link’s al fresco music series aside the River Arts District’s beloved French Broad River. The concerts, held on five separate Friday evenings from May through October, “assemble a top notch mix of quality national acts and local favorites” at no charge to attendees.

Author Sara Gruen gets lost in her books. “I wasn’t able to immerse myself completely with Water for Elephants,” she says of her 2006 best-seller that became a film starring Reese Witherspoon. “The type of circus I was writing about no longer existed.” For her new book, Gruen spent a total of five weeks in the British Isles, researching, absorbing the culture and immersing herself — literally.

There are a number of do’s and don’ts when it comes to the third annual Carolina Sketchfest: Do buy tickets in advance (they sold out the first two years), don’t bring the kids (there’s adult language and themes), do like dogs (concession proceeds benefit Brother Wolf Animal Rescue).

The Virginian easily accepted an offer from longtime friend Bob Robertson of Asheville-based Mountain Roots Management to partner with Wild South for a trio of benefit shows across the Southeast. Following consecutive nights in Birmingham, Ala., and Chattanooga, Tenn., the last of the concerts takes place at The Orange Peel on Saturday, March 28.

While visions of sugarplums danced in children’s heads worldwide this past Dec. 24, Asheville steel pannist Jonathan Scales sat at his in-laws’ house, entranced by a video of his trio’s performance six days prior. Three months of intense work later, those initial glimpses have evolved into the band’s stellar debut DVD Alive at Rex Theater. […]

• The inaugural Montreat Film Festival is accepting submissions from local filmmakers through Monday, April 6. Entries must be shorter than eight minutes in length and reflect this year’s theme of hope. According to Montreat College’s website, the festival’s goal is “to highlight stories that honestly express and explore the human condition through the power of […]